One thing I noticed about this game is that my toon isn't THE Watcher but rather A Watcher. Case in point, the main quest involves talking to another Watcher, Maerwald, to learn more about his condition. Also, Sagani mentions a Watcher who sent her to the middle of nowhere and placed her right in my character's path and would eventually lead her to find Persoq (whether or not her personal quest is completed). So that's three that's directly mentioned in the actual game.

 

Also, the lore books that came with the Royal Edition mention other Watchers, including some that actually worked for the Sanitarium, and may or may not have been animancers themselves.

 

How common are Watchers in Eora? I assume they'd be rare enough that most people have never met one or are skeptical of their abilities when they do get to meet one, but are common enough that their existence is common knowledge.

Yeah, PoE makes it very clear you are not a Chosen One, but rather a member of a specific group.

I'd say rare but not extremely so. The problem seems to be that claiming to be Watcher is a lot more common then actually *being* one; especially in the rural communities, "I'm a Watcher" is a well-known con game.

Watcher/Warden/Bhaalspawn...yup.